


Word Perfect

by MachineQueen



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-28
Updated: 2020-07-28
Packaged: 2021-03-06 00:22:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,046
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25574284
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MachineQueen/pseuds/MachineQueen
Summary: Sakura asks Subaki for some help with a public speaking engagementWritten for Peculiarity: FE Small Writers Zine
Kudos: 6
Collections: Peculiarity: FE Small Writer Zine





	Word Perfect

**Author's Note:**

> Please go and check out the other amazing authors who took part in the Peculiarity zine! See Twitter account below for link to FREE zine download!
> 
> https://twitter.com/fesmallwriter
> 
> @MachineQueen4 on Twitter if you want to say hi...

Subaki was always the last one in the pegasus stables at night and the first one there in the morning. His pegasus shifted restlessly, signalling her patience with his meticulous grooming was coming to an end. The brush swished out a soothing rhythm. If he wasn’t careful he could get lost in the task for hours. It wouldn’t do to ride a mount anything less than spotless. He had his reputation to consider. 

“Excuse me, Subaki…”

He jumped. The brush clattered to the floor.

“Oh! My apologies, I didn’t mean to startle you...”

“I wasn’t startled! I was, um, done brushing.”

His pegasus nickered a greeting as he bent to retrieve the brush. Why? Why was he always destined to embarrass himself in front of Lady Sakura? His spotless gloves began to cling to his clammy palms.

Lady Sakura offered a small smile. “If you aren’t busy I’ve come to ask a favour.”

“Of course, my lady! How can I be of service?”

“Um…” Sakura wrung her hands. “Ryoma asked if I would give a speech to the new recruits. I was too startled to say no but I - I really don’t think I can do it.”

“Of course you can, my lady! The new recruits would love to hear you.”

“The thought of them all looking at me expectantly makes my hands shake. I’ll only embarrass myself. So I wanted to ask...Will you make the speech for me?”

Subaki would usually never hesitate to do something his lady asked. But this was a special case. There were some burdens he could not carry for her. 

“Perfect as I am, I am no replacement for Hoshido’s princess. I won’t make the speech but I can help you prepare for it, if you wish.”

XxX

Subaki chased everyone from one of the palace common areas so they had space to practice. Sakura stood behind a table. Subaki was seated in front of her, straight backed and cross legged. 

“W-welcome to all new recruits. I am Lady Sakura, princess of Hoshido and I am h-honoured you would-”

“You must speak clearly, my lady. Stuttering shows a lack of confidence.”

“I c-can’t help it.”

“If we practice a few times, perhaps the words will come more naturally. You should stand up straighter too. Put your shoulders back and imagine someone’s holding you up by a string.”

“Like this?” Sakura altered her stance a little.

“Yes, much better!”

Lady Sakura tried again from the beginning. It was a simple speech, barely two minutes long. But Subaki knew two minutes could be everything. It took only moments for a pegasus knight to plummet to the ground. It was not the kind of profession that allowed mistakes. Once you were in the sky, falling was all too easy. 

“You’re still stuttering, my lady. And you’re pausing for too long between sentences.”

Lady Sakura nodded. She began again.

“Better. Make sure to look at your audience. If you can’t look them in the eye, the forehead usually works.”

Again. The stutters smoothed out, the pauses came more naturally. Lady Sakura made eye contact but...

“Try not to look so afraid, my lady. I am not going to eat you!”

Lady Sakura stopped and let out a long hiss of air. “This is useless. You may be good at this, Subaki, but I’m not! I just can’t do it!”

Lady Sakura’s usually quiet tone turned shrill. Her fists were clenched and her eyes filled with tears. Subaki swallowed. It hadn’t been his intention to be harsh with her but he’d forgotten how young she was. She always carried herself like someone older.

“My lady. I offer my deepest apologies. It -it wasn’t my intention to offend or frustrate you.”

“I know. I know you’re just trying to help. I just - can’t let Ryoma down.”

“You won’t. When you want to be good at something, all you need to do is practice. If you do that, it’s easy to make others think you were perfect at it from the very beginning.”

Lady Sakura sniffled. “Everyone else may think that, but I know what a hard worker you are, Subaki. I bet you have a hundred more important things to do than helping me with this...”

“I’ll always be here to help you. Do you want to keep going?”

Lady Sakura wiped her eyes. Then she nodded. 

XxX

Brand new uniforms hung untattered over polished boots. Excited chatter echoed around the hall. The new class of recruits had arrived. Subaki lurked on the fringes, as nervous as if he were the one making the speech. 

As soon as Lord Ryoma and Lady Sakura appeared, the noise level dropped. Lord Ryoma’s presence was bright yet intimidating. His every move spoke of his skill as a warrior. In contrast, Lady Sakura looked tiny. But she was holding herself up tall, like Subaki had taught her.

After a moment, she began to speak. Her first sentence came out incomprehensibly quickly, a garbled rush. The audience were silent. Subaki saw her throat bob as she swallowed. 

Subaki readied Sakura’s defense. She’d tried so hard, surely Ryoma could see that. One slip up wasn’t so bad and-

Lady Sakura began again. This time, she was word perfect. She put the emphasis on the right parts. She kept her gaze level. She even shot Subaki a smile all of his own…

At the end, the recruits burst into rapturous applause. 

XxX

Subaki wanted to be the first to offer his congratulations. Lady Sakura might have had a shaky start but it hardly mattered. Around them, friends and rivals met for the first time. More than a few soldiers shot his lady admiring glances. He’d have to keep an eye on them. 

“I’m so proud of you, Sakura. I know you must have found that difficult,” said Lord Ryoma.

“I had some help,” Sakura said, turning as she saw him approach.

“Ah! Subaki! Perfect as ever, I see,” said Lord Ryoma. “Often I am not sure people deserve their reputations. Perhaps you are an exception.”

“I am honoured you think so, my lord.”

Lady Sakura laughed. “Thank you, Subaki. I couldn’t have done it without you.”

And for one dumbstruck moment, Subaki could think of nothing more perfect than her grateful smile.


End file.
